Unique Vietnamese martial art born in Belgium, crystallizing traditional culture of homeland

To the music of “My Village,” “A Circle of Vietnam” and “Bac Bling,” Jean-Philippe Crevecoeur (Belgian) and his fellow students performed the graceful, water-like moves of Thuy Phap – a unique martial art with Vietnamese spirit, founded by a Vietnamese master in Belgium.

Their performance at Hoan Kiem Lake and Van Lake (Temple of Literature) pedestrian street impressed the audience. This was a cultural activity during the state visit of the King and Queen of Belgium to Vietnam.

Unique Vietnamese martial art born in Belgium

Sharing with reporters of VietnamPlus Electronic Newspaper, Mr. Jean-Philippe said that he has practiced this sport for 20 years. Not only does it improve his health, this martial art also helps him balance his mind and realize profound philosophies of life that bear the mark of Vietnamese culture.

“Thuy Phap is a martial art inspired by water, combining softness and flexibility in every movement, founded by master Huynh Chieu Duong in Brussels, Belgium in 2002. In 2004, I had the chance to meet master Huynh Chieu Duong and started practicing,” said Jean-Philippe.

Jean-Philippe demonstrates Aquatics in Hanoi . (Photo: NVCC)

Because of his weak health since childhood, Mr. Huynh Chieu Duong sought to learn the soft and supple martial arts of traditional Vietnamese martial arts with the desire to improve and train his health and endurance. Realizing the effectiveness of the martial arts, the martial artist from Binh Duong actively collected and learned from many masters in different places, then summarized and systematized them into a systematic curriculum.

When he came to Belgium to work in 2000, his friends who worked in the medical field here consulted the martial arts of martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong and realized that they could be applied in the aspects of physical therapy and health training, so they encouraged him to open a class. In 2002, martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong officially founded the Thuy Phap sect in the capital of Brussels - Belgium and began accepting students to study.

Sharing about the name Thuy Phap, martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong said: "Thuy is water. Nothing is as soft, gentle but fierce as water. Thuy Phap is a Vietnamese martial art that crystallizes all the characteristics and advantages of water."

Master Huynh Chieu Duong introduces Water Technique in Belgium. (Photo: NVCC)

The martial arts of Thuy Phap are expressed in a soft, supple and gentle manner like flowing water, sometimes invisible, sometimes like drifting clouds, continuing from one movement to another. These exercises are very suitable for the elderly to practice, both to train flexibility and improve health.

Martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong shared: “With the criteria of training health, health preservation and self-defense, Thuy Phap focuses on pure martial arts exercises like water flow, locking the opponent and following the opponent, just need to push the opponent back or get out of your safe circle, based on the spirit of not hurting the opponent but protecting your body in a legitimate, cautious and harmonious way.”

In addition, Thuy Phap also preserves many weapons, which are typical tools of the Vietnamese people such as: whips, sticks, knives, swords, fans... through extremely gentle and flexible training methods that are very typical of the school.

Belgian martial artists demonstrate Water Technique in Hanoi. (Photo: FB)

In addition, Thuy Phap also cultivates martial arts that are confrontational and fierce, but also based on the fierce, flowing nature of water power. Thuy Phap's dueling exercises also rely on the force of water to push each other, relying on the opponent's force to bind tightly so that the opponent cannot attack, but is different from Hiep Khi Dao in that Thuy Phap does not bring the opponent to the ground but only pushes them away to always maintain the initiative.

Vo Viet 'finds his way' back to his homeland

Currently, many high schools and universities in Belgium have included Water Technique in their regular curriculum. The first Vietnamese martial art to be included in the sports curriculum in a Western country, on par with Judo, Karate, and Taekwondo. While martial arts attract many elderly people, Water Technique is for all ages and classes.

Among the students of Master Huynh Chieu Duong who came to Vietnam this time was Mrs. Veronique Guichard. She loved learning martial arts since she was young and practiced Karate and Aikido with her children. After falling many times on the training floor, she injured her shoulder and had to stop practicing. One day, she happened to see the Thuy Phap masters performing and she realized that this was the right martial art for her.

“Because of my injury, I needed to find something that was gentle and soft, but I still liked the excitement and flexibility, not too slow like Tai Chi. So, Thuy Phap was the ideal martial art for me,” said Veronique Guichard.

Ms. Veronique Guichard (right cover) with her fellow students and martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong (third from right). (Photo: FB)

Expressing her love for Water Technique, Ms. Veronique said that martial arts such as Linh Quy Sword, Hong Ha Ao Anh Quyen, Cuu Long Phu Sa Quyen, To Lich Sword... have brought the audience into poetic stories imbued with Vietnamese cultural identity.

“When coming to Vietnam, foreigners will see complicated traffic, busy vehicles that seem like they could collide with each other, but that does not happen, just like the graceful, flexible flow of water that always finds its way,” said Ms. Veronique.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Jean-Philippe said that Master Huynh Chieu Duong named the exercises or footwork after historical anecdotes in Vietnam. For example, the Linh Quy Kiem exercise recalls the anecdote of King Le Loi returning the sacred sword to the divine turtle after defeating foreign invaders.

Thanks to practicing this sport, Jean-Philippe understands more about Vietnamese culture as well as finds for himself profound philosophies of life.

Students practice Water Technique in Belgium. (Photo: CTV/Vietnam+)

“I like the song Nguyet Tuong Con, which is about a man who wants to own the Moon for himself. He hits the water with his stick, the moon’s reflection breaks into many pieces but he still cannot get it. This song implies that in life, one should not be greedy, should not look for things that do not belong to one,” Jean-Philippe shared.

Hydrotherapy has many benefits and meanings, but unfortunately it is only popular in Belgium and is unfamiliar in Vietnam.

Martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong said he has had several opportunities to introduce this martial art but has not yet had the opportunity to open a class in Vietnam due to lack of supporting resources and a lack of martial arts teachers.

“Through this martial art, Belgians look at Vietnamese people with sympathetic eyes, because of the gentleness, peace and unique, rich culture expressed through Thuy Phap. I really hope to be able to popularize this martial art in Vietnam, enriching the traditional martial arts of our country,” said martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong.

Ms. Dang Thi Thu Quyen practiced Aquatics even when she was nine months pregnant. (Photo: Contributor/Vietnam+)

As a Vietnamese living in Belgium and practicing Hydrotherapy for many years, Ms. Dang Thi Thu Quyen also expressed her wish that Hydrotherapy will become more and more known to Vietnamese people.

“Although it was born in Belgium, Thuy Phap fully represents the spirit of Vietnamese martial arts, contributing to further tightening the cultural connection between the two countries. Through Thuy Phap, many Belgians learn about Vietnamese culture and even learn Vietnamese. I find it regrettable that such a good martial art is not widely known in Vietnam,” said Ms. Quyen./.

Speaking at the martial arts exchange event "Vietnam-Belgium Harmony," Minister and Prime Minister of the Brussels Capital Region Rudi Vervoort highlighted the role of the State visit of the King and Queen of Belgium in the relationship between the two countries and sent an inspirational message: "Sports and martial arts have the power to connect people, overcoming all boundaries of nationality, origin and belief."

Mr. Rudi Vervoort said that the performances by Vietnamese and Belgian martial artists demonstrated the harmony between strength and softness, while conveying the martial spirit as well as the value of cross-border cultural exchange.

Water Magic Performance at Ho Van Lake. (Photo: Minh Thu/Vietnam+)

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/doc-dao-mon-vo-viet-ra-doi-tai-bi-ket-tinh-van-hoa-truyen-thong-que-huong-post1024105.vnp